Museum Provenance

Did you know that amber has been collected from the shores and seabed of the Baltic Sea for nearly 6,000 years? That its translucent glow and supposed powers of healing are as prized today as they were in ancient times? Enchant today’s woman with trendy yet timeless amber jewelry from our new and exclusive collection—all exquisitely crafted and all inspired by the extraordinary amber holdings of our National Museum of Natural History.

Every Smithsonian purchase will arrive with a museum provenance card explaining how it is adapted from or
inspired by an object or objects in our collection.

The necklace I received was very beautiful, although of a lighter golden color than the one pictured with fewer inclusions. Since smithsonian clearly states to expect some natural variance (reasonable considering amber forms naturally) I was pleased that the beads were all well matched to each other and of a uniform hue throughout, and less concerned that the necklace was overall a little lighter than the one pictured. The only complaint I might make is that the clasp is a bit darker than the rest of the necklace. Overall, the necklace it quite striking and beautiful when it catches the light. I bought the necklace as a birthday gift for an aunt who bought a similar one on a trip to Russia as a young woman. She unfortunately lost the necklace (which she cherished as a memento of her trip to that beautiful country) when moving and she was delighted to receive a similar piece so many years later.

Amber was created naturally in varying shades of "amber", from pale to very dark. My amber collection contains gorgeous bright yellows, creamy yellow, honey colored, dark brown with almost black inclusions. this necklace falls into the later category. I enjoy each for its differences and for being able to wear various amber jewelry with different clothes and colors. It is versatile and beautiful in all its guises. It is no wonder that it has been popular throughout the centuries and that the wealthy created rooms decorated with amber.